


Cry Wolf

by knitekat



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dinosaurs, Bingo, Gen, Halloween, Hallucinations, Infiltration, Mental Breakdown, Mental Institutions, Or not, Psychological Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-16 15:37:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16498274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: Helen Cutter tries to warn the team of danger she discovers in the future and isn't believed. Is she having a breakdown or did she really see what she says she did?





	Cry Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go to Fredbassett for the beta.

Helen paced the spartan cell she’d been locked in and cursed herself. How could she have been so stupid as to not think they might have been on to her? That they’d want her locked up, safe and sound and out of the way. She shook her head and almost collapsed onto the simple bed – a hard mattress, a lumpy pillow and a duvet which had seen better days – and let her thoughts turn back to how this had all started…

***

Helen stepped through the anomaly, feeling the bubble of excitement within her for what she’d discover on this trip. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the building before her – pyramidal in shape and glassy in appearance – a design and sophistication she’d never seen before, either on her trips around the world or those through the anomalies. Had she finally found the future?

A squawk had her crouching, knife in hand, her gaze darting everywhere. That sounded almost like… Helen threw herself to the ground, rolling back to her feet, as something darted past her. She almost smiled as she watched the tiny pterodactyl fly around, before she frowned when she realised she couldn’t identify it. 

Helen paused, torn between searching for the anomaly or investigating the building. She’d seen the Cretaceous, even if the pterodactyl was a lost species. This world was new and the discover of the new had always been a siren call to her, it was why she’d first stepped through an anomaly. 

She moved cautiously towards the building, her every sense alert. It appeared deserted, but she wasn’t about to make that assumption, not after all she’d seen. The triangular door opened easily and she stepped inside, jumping slightly when the door closed behind her, leaving her in darkness. She blinked several times, her eyes slowly adapting to the lack of light, and moved deeper. She frowned at what she assumed was a kitchen, the work surfaces all gleaming, a sink on one side but no oven in sight. 

She spun at a noise, her eyes widening before she ran. Knowing she had little chance of outrunning it, but she had to try. Racing back to the anomaly, fearing she’d feel its razor-sharp claw digging into her back at any moment as she heard the barking cry it uttered. 

Gasping, Helen almost stumbled through an open anomaly, only realising at the last moment it wasn’t the one she’d come through when she realised she was at an anomaly junction. Still, it meant she might escape the creature, creatures if it had called others. She bolted for the nearest anomaly, hoping it would close behind her.

***

Helen sighed as she tried to find a comfortable position on the bed. She’d been certain she’d lost them in the twists and turns she’d made to get back here. She knew she would have noticed if they had followed her. That and no one had been reported missing, no bodies – or partial ones – had been reported in the newspapers and she’d checked for several days.

It had only been when she’d been back a week or so that Helen had first doubted she’d lost them. Oh, she would admit it hadn’t been much, but her senses were far more astute than most humans. She’d seen one, just a brief, blink-and-you’d-miss-it slip but she’d seen it. Somehow, she’d been followed and no-one else had noticed. She had to save humanity from them. She had to, after all, no matter what Lester believed, she was still human.

Helen snorted, remembering how well that meeting had gone. She should have known better, should have realised no-one, not even Nick, would believe her story, not even after all he had seen. She should have realised they would need proof.

***

Helen affected not being concerned about a thing as she waited to meet Nick and Lester. They needed to know humanity wasn’t safe, that there was something out there that was far more dangerous than humanity was. Something that Helen now believed had wiped out humanity… no, they hadn’t, not if she was right. Humanity had never evolved. Something had changed and Helen needed to know what that was. But first, she needed to warn them, to make them believe her before it was too late. To convince them to investigate and stop whatever had happened, she feared she wouldn’t be able to stop it alone.

The meeting had been going as well as she’d expected, Nick had been concerned, Lester sarcastic. It had only been when they’d pressed her for more information that Helen had paused. In hindsight it had been a mistake but how could she admit the truth? They hadn’t believed her, Lester dismissing her as wasting their time and even Nick had looked disappointed. 

Helen had left before Lester could change his mind and have her arrested. She would get them proof, one way or the other. 

At had taken a few days, but she had managed to find the creature once more. She’d watched it for several days, marvelling at how it managed to move unnoticed through the crowds. If she’d had the time and, in truth, the inclination, the paper she could have written on it. 

She followed it as it prowled behind a man, recognising hunting behaviour, and knew this was her moment. She would prove that she was right.

***

Helen sighed, and that overconfidence was why she was locked up now. Why the world, why humanity was unprotected and at their mercy.

The sound of footsteps roused Helen from her thoughts, they seemed to be coming closer to her. She smiled, maybe it was Nick or Stephen, she would be able to convince them to help her escape. Her smile faded when she considered who else it might be – Lester, that insufferable man wouldn’t believe her now, she doubted he would even if he saw it with his own eyes. 

Helen smiled when she saw Nick. He would help her. He had to. “Nick!”

“Helen,” Nick said, his eyes full of compassion. “Are they treating you all right?”

“Please,” Helen almost begged. “You have to get me out of here.”

“Helen...”

“No, Nick,” Helen cut him off. “We have to stop them.”

“Stop who?” Nick shook his head. “That man you attacked...”

“He wasn’t human, Nick,” Helen cried. “You know things can change. Claudia Brown became Jenny Lewis. Events in the past affect the present.”

“What you claim is impossible.”

“I saw it!” Helen tried again, she had to convince him. “I don’t know why no-one else can see them but they are here. Amongst us.” 

“Helen,” Nick sounded tired, so bloody tired. “You’re not well.”

“I saw them, hiding in plain sight, Nick. No one else noticed but I saw them. You know the Troodons were the most intelligent of the dinosaurs. If the K-T extinction hadn’t happened, who knows what they might have evolved into…”

Nick shook his head. “You want me to believe we have intelligent neo-Troodons loose in London and you’re the only one who can see them? Where are all the kills? The missing pets and people?”

“They’re clever,” Helen asserted. 

“They’d have to be a damn sight more than clever to hide from everyone.”

“They can disguise themselves.” Helen met Nick’s eyes and saw the sorrow, the pain within, she knew she’d lost him. “I’ve seen them, Nick. They’re waiting for something.”

A cleared throat had Helen starting, looking around wildly before she spotted Lester. The insufferable man just pinched his nose as if warding off a headache. “You know, I’m really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy.” He fixed Helen with a cold stare, one that had a shiver running down her back. “Less madmen to deal with for one thing.” He turned his attention to Nick. “I’m sure you’ll agree she needs to stay here for a full psychiatric assessment?”

“Aye. I’ll sign the paperwork” 

“No! Nick!” Helen tried once more. “You’ve got to believe me.”

“A pity really, such a waste of a brilliant mind,” Lester murmured. “It would appear that prolonged travel through the anomalies has a detrimental effect on the human psyche. We will have to curtail excursions through them until we fully investigate this effect and make sure further exploration is safe.”

“No!” Helen yelled. “You’ve got to listen to me. You got to stop them!” She sank to the floor as the two men walked away, leaving her in her cell. “Nick!” 

Helen shook herself, she wasn’t about to lapse into self-pity. It was clear no-one would believe her… Had they realised she was following them? Had the set her up… she cursed herself. Of course they’d realised she was there they were highly evolved predators. She had to get out of here, she had to find out what had happened and if she had to do it alone, so be it.

***

“Helen?”

Nick voice roused Helen from her thoughts and she smiled at him. “Nick! I feel much better now, rested. Can I go home now?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t.” Nick took her hand. “The doctors believe you’ve had a breakdown due to the stress you’ve been under.”

“And the anomalies?” Helen asked, keeping her voice only mildly interested. 

“Lester’s ordered all excursions stopped,” Nick said sadly. “At least until we know why you...”

“Snapped?” Helen said. “I haven’t, Nick.” She saw the look in his eye and couldn’t help saying, “That creature is out there and you have to stop it.”

“Helen!” Nick almost yelled. “You aren’t well. I’ve agreed with Lester that until you are, you have to stay here.”

“Safely locked up in a nuthouse while that creature is free to hunt and kill people?”

“No-one is missing, Helen.”

Helen almost flinched at Nick’s tone, she wasn’t a child. “They’re out there, plotting, and you’re doing nothing to stop them.”

“Helen!” Nick almost yelled before calming himself. “They’re not out there. It is just the stress of being alone and being in constant danger. Just listen to the doctors and you’ll be out.”

“When?” Helen demanded, wondering if it would be in time to stop them, whatever they were up to.

“I don’t know,” Nick admitted. “That is up to your doctors.”

“And Lester?” Helen asked.

“Aye.” Nick nodded before glancing at his phone. “I’ve got to go.” He turned before looking back. “I’ll see you next week. Get better, Helen.”

Helen slumped on her bed and tried to think of how to get out of this facility now Nick wouldn’t help her. Maybe Stephen? He’d once been willing to do anything for her.

“Dr Cutter?” 

Lester’s voice broke through her thoughts and Helen looked up to meet his dismissing stare. “Lester.”

“I do hope you’re finding these accommodations adequate?” Lester inquired blandly. 

“I need to get out of here, Lester.” 

“And attack another individual because you think they’re a disguised dinosaur?” 

Lester’s mocking tone had Helen glare at him before her eyes widened and she stumbled backwards as she met his now liquid-black gaze instead of the green eyes she’d been expecting. She swallowed as she recalled the day she’d called him a Utahraptor. How had she been so blind? So stupid as to dismiss him as merely another government lackey? Of course they’d want to control the project, then they could stop humanity learning what they were up to, whatever that was. And Helen had just provided them with the perfect excuse to stop humanity investigating through the anomalies. It had all been a setup! How long had they been watching her, waiting until she stepped through that anomaly? Waiting until they could use her. How long has Lester… “You’re one of them!”

Lester shook his head sadly. “Mrs Cutter...” he began.

“No!”

“Dr Cutter,” Lester tried again.

“You’re never going to let me leave, are you?” Helen asked. 

Lester smiled, and for a moment Helen could see past his disguise. She shivered when she met his liquid black gaze once more. “I believe that will be up to the doctors.”

“And you?” When Lester just shrugged, Helen asked, “Why?” 

“Why? You’ll have to be more precise, Dr Cutter,” Lester said, a curious look on his face and Helen had to wondering if he would still look curious in his natural form.

“Why leave me alive?” Helen asked, curious as to his answer.

“Because killing you now would raise too many questions,” Lester replied before adding, “joke.” He looked at Helen, reminding her of how a predator looked at its prey. “I will repeat that prior knowledge of the anomaly locations would be priceless. Not only is it your absolute duty as a citizen to give us that information, but it might aid in securing your release from this facility.”

“You expect me to believe you ever want me released.” Helen recoiled from his smile, seeing the sharp teeth lining his snout. She swallowed, suddenly understanding he didn’t mean she’d be released, no matter what she told him. No, Lester meant one of his neo-Troodon allies would be released. She had to escape and warn… except who could she warn? No-one would believe her if she told them Lester was really a disguised neo-Troodon. Her eyes widened, who knew who else might be one? She could trust no-one, not even Nick. The neo-Troodons had complete access to the anomalies while humanity didn’t, who knew how long they’d been planning this? Helen slid down the wall, hugging her knees, listening to the click-click-click of Lester’s toe-claws as he strolled away, his disguise perfect. 

It was only when it was dark that Helen moved again. She knew she was on her own but she wasn’t about to give up. She would escape, she would prove the existence of the neo-Troodons, and she would stop them. She had to. 

She was still human, she still cared what happened to them.


End file.
